5 A.M. Prayer Shock Hits NYC

People relaxing in a park, city skyline background.

New Yorkers in Manhattan and Brooklyn report being jolted awake at 5 a.m. by loudspeakers broadcasting the Islamic call to prayer, sparking a firestorm of complaints and raising serious questions about who approved this expansion of religious amplification in America’s largest city.

Story Snapshot

Viral videos from February 15-16, 2026, show residents in Manhattan and Brooklyn waking to the Islamic call to prayer at 5 a.m., triggering widespread complaints across social media.
The broadcasts are attributed to policies initially enacted under former Mayor Eric Adams in 2023, which allowed mosques to amplify the adhan during limited hours, though current expansions remain unverified.
Claims circulate that new Mayor Zohran Mamdani, described as a Ugandan-born Muslim socialist, has enabled citywide daily broadcasts, but no official confirmation or statements from City Hall have emerged.
The controversy pits religious freedom advocates against residents frustrated by early-morning noise, testing the balance between First Amendment rights and quality of life in dense urban neighborhoods.

Early Morning Broadcasts Spark Outrage

Residents across Manhattan and Brooklyn shared videos on X (formerly Twitter) on February 15 and 16, 2026, documenting loudspeakers blaring the Islamic call to prayer, known as the adhan, at approximately 5 a.m. One Manhattan resident captured in a viral video expressed disbelief, stating, “I never thought in my life I’d hear this in the middle of New York.” The footage quickly spread across social media, with influencers like Eric Daugherty of Right Line News amplifying the complaints. Dr. Maalouf and other commentators shared similar clips from Brooklyn, fueling a narrative that the city is undergoing an unwelcome transformation. The adhan traditionally calls Muslims to five daily prayers, with the Fajr prayer occurring at dawn, explaining the early-morning timing that has disrupted sleep for many New Yorkers.

Adams-Era Policy Sets Precedent

The foundation for these broadcasts traces back to 2023, when then-Mayor Eric Adams announced guidelines permitting mosques to amplify the adhan without special permits during Friday prayers (12:30-1:30 p.m.) and Ramadan iftar. Adams framed the policy as cutting “red tape” for religious communities, emphasizing the role of mosques in community safety and crime reduction. His administration joined cities like Minneapolis in allowing such amplification, building on long-standing religious freedoms protected under the First Amendment. However, these permissions were time-bound and did not explicitly authorize routine 5 a.m. citywide broadcasts. The current viral complaints suggest either an expansion of the original policy or mosques pushing beyond the intended limits, though no official city response has clarified whether the broadcasts violate existing noise ordinances or represent a new directive.

Mamdani Leadership Claims Remain Unverified

Social media posts and articles attribute the expanded broadcasts to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, portrayed as a Ugandan-born Muslim socialist who recently assumed office. Eric Daugherty posted on February 16, “Many New Yorkers are furious… under Ugandan Mayor Mamdani,” while Charisma News framed the issue as a spiritual “principality” takeover tied to a lack of repentance post-9/11. However, no verified statements from Mamdani or City Hall officials appear in available sources, leaving critical details unconfirmed. The research contradicts itself, noting Eric Adams as the architect of the 2023 policy while also claiming Mamdani’s current leadership—raising questions about whether a mayoral transition occurred or if misinformation is circulating. Without mainstream media corroboration or official city announcements, the extent of any policy shift remains uncertain, though the videos themselves confirm adhan broadcasts are occurring in some neighborhoods.

Community Tensions and Constitutional Questions

The controversy places the city at a crossroads between religious liberty and residents’ right to peaceful enjoyment of their homes. New York’s diverse population includes over one million Muslims, many of whom view the adhan as a fundamental expression of faith protected by the First Amendment. Yet the early-morning timing and amplified volume have provoked backlash, with critics arguing that the broadcasts impose one religious tradition on a multicultural community. This tension mirrors debates in Minneapolis, which faced similar complaints after permitting adhan amplification in 2023. For conservatives, the issue extends beyond noise complaints to concerns about cultural erosion and government overreach—allowing religious practices to disrupt daily life without clear democratic consent. The situation tests whether urban noise laws can accommodate religious expression without infringing on the rights of non-participating residents, a balance that cities nationwide are struggling to define.

New Yorkers Wake to the Islamic Call to Prayer https://t.co/0c19g0J41h

— bkbcrypto1971 (@bkbcrypto1971) February 17, 2026

The viral spread of these videos underscores deeper frustrations among New Yorkers who feel their voices are ignored by city leadership. Whether the broadcasts reflect an official policy expansion or unauthorized actions by individual mosques, the lack of transparency from City Hall has fueled suspicion and resentment. For a community already weary of government decisions made without public input, the adhan controversy serves as yet another flashpoint. As Ramadan approaches, the debate is unlikely to fade, demanding clarity on who authorized these broadcasts, whether they comply with existing regulations, and how the city plans to balance religious freedom with the quality of life for all residents. Until officials address these questions directly, the early-morning calls will continue to echo not just across the streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn, but through a national conversation about faith, governance, and the limits of tolerance.